The polymerized bovine hemoglobin-based oxygen-carrying solution (HBOC-201) is not toxic to neural cells in culture

Background: Recent data suggest that a neurotoxic effect of blood or its components may contribute to secondary neural cell dysfunction. This study investigated the effects of HBOC-201 (Hemopure) and purified human hemoglobin (hHgb) on rat fetal neural cell culture. Methods: Neural cell cultures were exposed to HBOC-201 and hHgb (0.02, 0.2, 2.0, and 6.5 g/dL) for 24 hours, and then analyzed for proliferation, metabolism, and neurolysis. Results: Cultures exposed to HBOC-201 maintained levels of proliferation and metabolism similar to controls while demonstrating no cellular lysis. However, cultures exposed to hHgb demonstrated decreased proliferation after exposure to 0.2, 2.0, and 6.5 g/dL hHgb (14,252.14, 3,221.89, and 343.12 vs. 19,509.53; p < 0.05) when compared with controls. In addition, cultures exposed to hHgb demonstrated decreased metabolic activity and increased cell lysis when compared with controls (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Cultures exposed to HBOC-201 displayed sustained metabolic activity and proliferation, and demonstrated no neurolysis, suggesting that HBOC-201 does not display the toxic characteristics of hHgb.